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Department ofChemistry and Biochemistry

Eric Tillman

Eric Tillman

Fletcher Jones Professor
Associate Provost for Research

Degree Information

University of Southern California, Ph.D. Chemistry
California Polytechnic State University, B.S. Biochemistry

Recent Grants and Awards
  • "MRI: Acquisition of Gel Permeation Chromatograph with Multiple Detectors to Expand Capabilities for Macromolecular Characterization" $241,000; 2019 [Co-PI with Madalyn Radlauer and Chester Simocko, SJSU]
  • "RUI: Synthesis of Macrocyclic Polymers Using Radical Trap-Assisted Atom Transfer Radical Coupling" $130,000; 2013-2016 [Sole PI]
  • UR grant “Stereoregular Vinyl Polymers Prepared by Low Temperature Controlled Radical Polymerization” $70,000; 2016-2019
  • Henry Dreyfus Teacher-Scholar Award "Synthesis of Cyclic Polymers" $60,000, 2009-2014
  • Beckman Scholar Award $26,000; 2019-2020
  • Beckman Scholar Award $26,000; 2014-2015
Academic Appointments

Fletcher Jones Professor (Department of Chemistry & Biochemistry), Santa Clara University, 2015-Present
Professor (Department of Chemistry), Bucknell University, 2012-2015
Associate Professor
(Department of Chemistry), Bucknell University, 2008-2012
Assistant Professor  (Department of Chemistry), Bucknell University, 2002-2008

Publications
Recent Publications
*Student co-author

Chong, J. L.*, Burch, A.M.*, Otero, D.M.; Tillman, E.S., Room Temperature Nickel-catalyzed Reductive Coupling of End-brominated Polystyrene Chains. Journal of Polymer Science Part A, Polymer Chemistry 2024, 62(1), 146.

Basler, E. D.*, Chong, J. L.*, Heath, C. M.*, Ching, K. S.*, Jennett, S. T.*, Tillman, E.S., Nickel-Catalyzed Reductive Homodimerization of Brominated Polystyrene Chains. Macromol. Chem. Phys. 2022, 2200320.

​​Andry, J.J.*; Lee, J.L.*; Wu, J.P.*; Xia, K.*; Tillman, E.S. “Universal Chain-End Coupling Conditions for Polystyrene, Polyacrylate, and Polymethacrylate RadicalsProcesses 2021, 9, 1001

Xia, K.*; Rubaie, A.J.*; Johnson, B.P.*; Tillman, E.S. “Greener Coupling of Poly(methyl methacrylate) and Poly(methyl acrylate) Chains Using Activators Generated by Electron Transfer and Radical Traps” Macromolecular Chemistry and Physics 2020, provisionally accepted.

Ching, M.E.*; Lee, J.J.*; Wu, J.P.*; Tillman, E.S. "Atom Transfer Coupling Reactions Performed with Benign Reducing Agents and Radical Traps" 2019 Macromolecular Chemistry and Physics, submitted.

Xia, K.*; Rubaie, A.J.*; Johnson, B.P.*; Parker, S.A.*; Tillman, E.S. "Atom Transfer Coupling Reactions Performed with Benign Reducing Agents and Radical Traps" 2019 Journal of Polymer Science Part A, Polymer Chemistry, published online DOI: 10.1002/pola.29482

Heiler, K.E.*; Pan, C.W.*; Heiler, A.J.*; Wu, J.P.*; Tillman, E.S. “Synthesis of Nitroxide End-Labeled Polymers By Capturing Polystyrene Radicals with Spin Traps” Macromolecular Chemistry and Physics 2018 1800171

Pan, C.*; Xia, K.*; Parker, S.A.*; Tillman, E.S. “Identity of Low Molecular Weight Species Formed in End-to-End Cyclization Reactions Performed in THF” 2018 Polymers, 10, 844.

Pan, C.W.*; Tillman, E.S. “Accurately Determining the Extent of Coupling in Post-Polymerization Reactions of Polystyrene” Polymers 2018, 10(1), 80.

Wu, J.P.*; Pan, C.W.*; Heiler, K.E.*; Ching, M.E.; Tillman, E.S. “Altering the Effectiveness of Radical Traps in Atom Transfer Radical Coupling Reactions of Polymer Chains” Polymer 2017127, 66-76.

Arce, M.M.; Pan, C.W.; Thursby, M.M.; Wu, J.P.; Carnicom,E.M.; Tillman, E.S. “Influence of Solvent on Radical Trap Assisted Dimerization and Cyclization of Polystyrene Radicals” Macromolecules 2016, 49, 7804-7813.

McFadden, B.; Arce, M.M.; Abruzzese, J.; Herman, J.; Carnicom, E.M.; Tillman, E.S. “Radical Trap-Assisted Atom Transfer Radical Coupling of Diblock Copolymers as a Method of Forming Triblock Copolymers” Macromolecular Chemistry and Physics 2016, 217, 2473-2482

Blackburn, S.C.; Myers, K.D.; Tillman, E.S. “Macrocyclic Poly(methyl acrylate) and Macrocyclic Poly(methyl acrylate-block-styrene) Synthesized by Radical Trap-assisted Atom Transfer Radical Coupling” Polymer 2015, 216, 1282-1290.

Blackburn, S.C.; Tillman, E.S. “Synthesis of Cyclic Poly(methyl methacrylate) Directly from Dihalogenated Precursors” Macromolecular Chemistry and Physics 2015, 68, 284-292. 

Carnicom, E.M.; Abruzzese, J.A.; Sidebe, Y.; Myers, K.D.; Tillman, E.S. “Effect of Trapping Agent and Polystyrene Chain End Functionality on Radical Trap-Assisted Atom Transfer Radical Coupling” Polymers 2014, 6, 2737-2751.

Valente, C.J.; Schellenberger, A.M.; Tillman, E.S. “Dimerization of Poly(methyl methacrylate) Chains Using Radical Trap-Assisted Atom Transfer Radical Coupling” Macromolecules 2014, 47, 2226-2232

Carnicom, E.M.; Tillman, E.S. “Polymerization of Styrene and Cyclization to Macrocyclic Polystyrene in a One-pot, Two-Step Sequence” Reactive and Functional Polymers 2014, 80, 9-14.